The Princess of Wales has praised community stalwarts invited to her Christmas carol service, telling them they are making an “extraordinary difference to the lives of others”.
Kate has written a letter to her guests extolling the Christmas period that reminds us “how deeply our lives are woven together”, adding that despite life feeling “fragmented or uncertain” at times, the festive season “invites us to remember the power of reaching out to one another”.
The future queen will on Friday preside over her Together At Christmas service at Westminster Abbey, now in its fifth year, which will bring together members of the royal family and 1,600 guests to celebrate love in all its forms.
The service will recognise individuals from across the UK who may have dedicated or volunteered their time to be present with others, led initiatives that bring people in their community together, or offered a helping hand to those around them.
In her letter, which has been made available to carol service guests, Kate says: “This carol service offers a moment of collective togetherness, a chance to celebrate the spirit of community and service, and to honour the visible and invisible bonds that unite us all.
“The time, care and compassion you give, often quietly and unspoken, and without any expectation or recognition, make an extraordinary difference to the lives of others.”
Among those invited are schoolgirl Madison Reed, who last year raised more than £1,360 for the Archie Foundation by Highland dancing in 26 locations across Scotland, each beginning with a different letter of the alphabet.
She raised the funds for the charity, which supports sick children receiving medical care in north-east Scotland, along with their families.
Another selfless worker who will join the guests is Ann Davies, an 80-year-old volunteer cook for almost a decade with the Moses Project, a charity providing mentoring and support for men with past and current addictions to drugs and alcohol.
The 80-year-old also volunteers as a responsible adult at Middlesbrough police station, supporting vulnerable people who have been arrested.
Kate also says in her letter: “Christmas is a time that reminds us how deeply our lives are woven together. Just as the roots of trees share strength beneath the soil, unseen but vital, so too do we.
“We are drawn by an instinctive pull towards belonging and connection. Even with all the rushing around and familiar traditions, there is a quieter sense of what it calls out in us.
“There is a softness to the season that reminds us of something easy to forget; that what we do matters.
“Our words, our choices, and even the ways we look out for one another – they ripple outward, touching lives we may never see.”
The princess will be joined at the service by husband the Prince of Wales, who will give a reading, and royal fans will be hoping their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis make an appearance alongside other members of the royal family.
Katie Melua, Fisherman’s Friends and Griff will perform on a roster also featuring actress Hannah Waddingham and Dan Smith from pop rock band Bastille.
During the event readings linked to the theme of love, compassion and connection will be delivered by Hollywood stars Kate Winslet and Chiwetel Ejiofor, comic Babatunde Aleshe and rising actor Joe Locke, with the speakers accompanied by pianist Paul Gladstone Reid.
Some 15 community carol services, held in places including the Coronation Street Visitor Centre, an arts centre in Newbury and a community farm in Gwent, are also set to take place across the UK with the same love and togetherness theme and those guests will also receive Kate’s letter.
The Westminster Abbey service is to air on ITV1 and ITVX on Christmas Eve and will be repeated on Christmas Day.
